Bowling ball return device



y 2, 1969 R. c. BUCK 3,456,946

BOWLING BALL RETURNDEVICE Filed June 12, 1967 INVENTOR leobem 6. 5416K ORNEYS United States Patent 3,456,946 BOWLING BALL RETURN DEVICE Robert C. Buck, 721 S. Liberty, Independence, Mo. 64050 Filed June 12, 1967, Ser. No. 645,284

Int. Cl. A63d /02 US. Cl. 27349 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a game ball-return device and, more particularly, to structure to be utilized with automatic equipment commonly used for bowling alleys.

In conventional pinsetters, and more specifically, the models manufactured by Brunswick Corporation, a unit is provided for returning the ball to the bowler and includes a wheel at the end of the alley for receiving and carrying the ball to an elevator arrangement having cradle means. The moving ball shifts the cradle into a balllifting position, whereupon the ball travels into and along the cradle means as it is moved by the wheel. The ball often does not strike the cradle means with suflicient impact to shift the same and the ball proceeds to merely spin at one position as the ball wheel rotates therebeneath. A bowling alley employee must then push the ball into the cradle means, thereby causing a delay in the interval within which the bowler waits for the ball to return, which operation detracts from the automatic features of the pinsetting operation.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of my invention to provide a device which is interposed adjacent the above described cradle means for impeding the spinning of the ball and thereby assuring that the force imparted to the ball by the rotating wheel will urge the ball into the cradle rather than merely spinning the same.

It is another important object of this invention to provide a device which is not dependent on the pinsetting sequence of the unit, but is continuously in position for urging return of the ball. Additionally, the device is positioned so that the components thereof will not block the progress of the ball as it travels from the alley to the cradle means.

Other objects include details of construction such as novel adjustment means which will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view there of;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

In conventional pinsetting equipment, the ball and fallen pins are received at the rear of the alley by suitable means for returning the ball to the bowler and resetting the pins in the rack. The ball initially strikes a pit cushion 10 at the end of the alley which absorbs the ball impact, the ball resting on an agitating pit conveyor 12. When the rack lowers to spot the pins remaining on the alley, pit cushion 10 shifts upwardly to permit passage of the ball, indicated by the numeral 14.

Ball 14 gravitates rearwardly on the agitating pit conveyor 12 until it strikes rear ball lift rod 16, approximately as shown by the full-line position in FIG. 2. Ball 14 is received upon a steel conveyor or wheel .18 which continuously rotates along guide rollers 20 as indicated by the arrow in FIGS. 1 and 2. A 'front ball lift rod 22 is provided and secured to an elevator block 24, as is rear lift rod 16, and block 24 is swingably mounted on a pivot 26 secured to the backplate 28 of the pinsetting unit.

The leading edge 30 of lift rod 22 is spaced circumferentially forwardly of the leading edge 32 of lift rod 16 whereby ball 14 is initially received on wheel 18 and rotated into contact with leading edge 30. Lift rods 16 and 22 are formed from a rigid material and have a rubber covering 34 thereon.

Normally, ball 14 strikes leading edge 30 and wedges beneath lift rods 16 and 22 to raise the same upwardly as elevator block 24 swings about pivot 26. The frictional contact of the ball with rubber covering 34 cooperates with the rotating wheel 18 to roll ball 14 upwardly for carrying the same to the return track. After ball 14 is ejected from lift rods I16 and 22, the rods shift downwardly into their normal lower positions in response to the weight of block 24, as well as spring means which are provided at the upper ends of rods 16 and 22. It will be recognized that rods 16 and 22 are concentric with wheel 18 and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, to the end that rods 16 and 22 from cradle means into and along which ball 14 moves in response to rotation of wheel 18.

The above described automatic ball-return operation is often interrupted inasmuch as ball 14 may not strike leading edge 30 with suflicient impact to cause swinging of elevator block 24, and ball 14 will therefore merely spin in one position as wheel 18 rotates therebeneath. In this event, a bowling alley employee must manually force the ball beneath rods 16 and 22 to effect return of the ball. My invention involves the provision of structure for impeding such spinning of the ball whereupon the force of wheel 18 is utilized to shift rods 16 and 22 upwardly.

The present device includes a rod assembly 36 secured to the unit at backplate 28 carrying a brake member 38 which is normally disposed for engagement by ball 14 as the latter moves toward leading edge 30. Rod assembly 36 includes a first portion 40 extending transversely of the path of travel of ball 14 on wheel 18. End 42 of portion 40 is threaded and is journalled through an aperture 44 provided in backplate 28. Portion 40 may shift longitudinally or about its axis within aperture 44 and is maintained in selected position by adjustment means comprising a pair of lock washers 46 and corresponding nuts 48 tightened against each other on opposed sides of backplate 28.

Rod assembly 36 includes a second portion 50 extend ing downwardly from the forward end 52 of portion 40 and merging into a third portion 54 extending substantially longitudinally of the path of travel of ball 14. The free end of portion 54 is threaded and receives brake member 38, as shown in detail in FIG. 4. Member 38 includes a coil spring 56 having eyes 58 formed at each end thereof, one of the eyes 58 being positioned between opposed lock washers 60 and corresponding nuts 62. A tubular element 64 is telescoped over spring 56 and is formed of rubber or the like for frictional engagement with ball 14.

In use, member 38 is disposed for engagement by ball 14 as the latter travels along wheel 18. The precise position of member 38 may be varied as desired by suitably manipulating nuts 48 and 62. For example, nuts 48 may 3 be rotated to cause shifting of member 38 transversely of the path of travel of ball 14 while permitting swinging of member 38 about the axis of first portion 40. Similarly, rotation of nuts 62 shifts member 38 into any one of a number of positions longitudinally of the path of travel of ball 14, while also permitting swinging of member 38 about the axis of third portion 54 for adjusting the vertical inclination of member 38.

As wheel 18 carries ball 14 from between leading edges 32 and 30, ball 14 will strike the tubular element 64 of member 38, whereby the latter will yield out of the path of travel of ball 14. The resilience of spring 56 will cause member 38 to be maintained in a biasing relationship against the outer surface of ball 14 to the end that the spinning of the ball is impeded as it strikes leading edge 30. This impeding or braking action of member 38 results in wheel (18 exerting its rotational force to shift rods 16 and 22 upwardly whereupon ball 14 is drawn upwardly in the normal manner. Therefore, the problem of spinning balls is remedied by merely preventing the spinning action at the outset inasmuch as ball 14 is in engagement with member 38 when the ball strikes leading edge 30 and thus is substantially precluded from spinning at the critical point in the ball-return operation.

It will be noted that rod assembly 36 is suitably positioned so that it clears ball 14, whereby no rigid structure interferes with the ball as it travels from the alley into the cradle means provided by lift rods 16 and 22. The adjustment structure for the device is simple although quite flexible inasmuch as nuts 48 provide adjustment means for shifting member 38 transversely of the path of travel and nuts 62 serve as adjustment apparatus for shifting of member 38 longitudinally of the path of travel. Nuts 48 and 62 also serve as adjustment mechanism to permit swinging of member 38 about the axes of first portion 40 and third portion 54, which axes extend transversely and longitudinally, respectively, of the path of travel of the ball.

Member 38 is in a stationary position regardless of the pinsetting sequence and, therefore, return of the ball is effected immediately upon being received by wheel 18. This is preferable to a ball-return device such as a striking plate attached to pit cushion wherein a spinning ball at leading edge 30 would continue to spin until cushion 10 was lowered in its normal sequence and the striking plate would come into contact with the ball to push the same beneath rods 16 and 22.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a return unit for a game ball, said unit having a circular, rotatable conveyor and generally vertically disposed curvilinear cradle means placed within said conveyor into and along which the ball is carried by reason of the frictional engagement between the ball and the cradle means and the rotation of the conveyor, structure for impeding spinning of the ball as it is moved into engagement with a leading edge of the cradle means comprising:

a member having means thereon for frictionally engaging the surface of the ball to inhibit spinning thereof,

means yieldably mounting said member to said unit adjacent said leading edge for displacement out of the path of said ball in response to movement imparted to the ball by said conveyor.

2. The invention of claim 1, said member being resilient.

3. The invention of claim 2, said means on said member having an outer surface of material for frictionally engaging the ball to inhibit spinning thereof.

4. The invention of claim 3, said member including a coil spring and a tubular element telescoped thereover, the element presenting said outer surface.

5. The invention of claim 1, said mounting means including an assembly secured to said unit, said member being mounted on said assembly and extending therefrom into said path of travel of the ball, said assembly being positioned for clearing the ball as the latter moves along its path of travel.

6. The invention of claim 5, said assembly including adjustment means permitting shifting of said member into any one of a number of positions transversely of said path of travel.

7. The invention of claim 5, said assembly including adjustment apparatus permitting shifting of said member into any one of a number of positions longitudinally of said path of travel.

8. The invention of claim 5:

said assembly including adjustment means permitting shifting of said member into any one of a number of positions transversely of said path of travel, said assembly including adjustment apparatus permitting shifting of said member into any one of a number of positions longitudinally of said path of travel,

said assembly including adjustment mechanism permitting swinging of said member about an axis extending substantially transversely of said path of travel and also permitting swinging of said member about an axis extending substantially longitudinally of said path of travel.

9. The invention of claim 8, said apparatus including a rod having one portion thereof extending transversely of said path of travel and received by said assembly for rotating and longitudinal shifting movement, there being a second portion of the rod extending substantially longitudinally of the path of travel and receiving said member thereon for rotation thereabout and shifting therealong.

.10. The invention of claim 9, said member including a coil spring having a tubular element telescoped thereover, the element presenting an outer surface of material for frictionally engaging the ball to impede rotation thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,967,708 1/ 1961 Huck et al. 27349 X 3,111,316 11/1963 Congelli et al. 273-49 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner MAX R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner 

